By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, March 21: The Tibetan president Sangay’s nominee for new Kalon, Dr. Pema Yangchen, was approved by 26 Yeses, 15 Nos and 3 abstentions in the Tibetan parliament in exile earlier today. President Sangay announced a former vice principal of the Dalai Lama institute and an academician based in Canada as his nominee for a kalon.
As soon as the Sikyong announced the nominees name, MP Dawa Phunkyi, raised his hand in objection but did not give any reason. Dawa said his objection was simply to enable voting for the nominee as required by the Tibetan charter.
Though Pema is understood to be heading the Department of Education the Sikyong has not made the official announcement as yet. The justification for the nominee read out by Sangay clearly pointed towards Pema being given the education portfolio.
Dr Pema Yangchen was born on 15 August 1969 in Bhutan. An alumnus of the Tibetan scholarship program, she completed (Doctor of Education) in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Northern Iowa in 2009. In 2009, she joined as English lecturer at The Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Education in Bangalore, India where she also promoted in 2012 to the post of Vice Principal.
In 2011, she was honoured with ‘Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award’ by University of Northern Iowa, Graduate College for her Dissertation titled ‘Teacher Learning in a Tibetan School in Exile: A Community of Practice Perspective’.
